Misadventures in Parenthood

Flynn Part 2

  Eugene wasn't entirely sure what he ought to do. He took another look towards the midwife who was sat in the corner of the room knitting. He met her eye, nodding over at where Cassandra was pacing back and forth.

"This part is just about the waiting, and trying to create a safe space." The midwife answered barely looking up.

"I know, I remember. " Eugene said with a sigh, he'd forgotten how inactive the midwife had been in those hours before the twins had been born, she'd called it 'creating a restful space', Eugene in his panic of feeling useless whilst his wife was in pain had called it being lazy. As it turned out, when the time really came for the twins to be born the midwife had sprung into action, a note of authority in her voice as she bossed everybody in the castle around (including the king), and with a calm, and reassuring manner had helped Rapunzel through the birth. She'd also presented them with a nice pair of knitted hats.

"I suspect we've got a few hours to go yet, perhaps try to distract her. Try to calm her down, hold her hand when the pains come."

"Hey, Cass." Eugene said nervously walking up to the pacing woman, eying her as if she was a caged tiger.

"I think the storm is easing off a little. "She said turning to look out the window.

He took her by the shoulders getting her to face him.

"Hey, Cass, I think we may have to think about what we do if they don't make it back in time."

She shook him off her.

"No, we had a plan, it was going to be me, and Varian, and Rapunzel. That was the plan."

"Well, we'll have to have a new plan. A me and you plan."

Cassandra shot him an annoyed look.

"You? Really?"

"Yeah, Cassandra and Eugene, in this together. We'll even come up with a name. Team baby making?"

She shot him an annoyed look.

"No okay, you're right, Varian did the making part. Team baby birthing! Yes that is brilliant the BB'S."

"ARGHHH!" Cassandra gave a large groan.

"Okay, team shut up before I punch you in your perfectly chiselled face?"

"I like that one." She said between grunts.

"How about a name compounding thing? Team Eugendra? Team Cassene?"

She reached a hand out, wild eyed, and without thinking about it Eugene took it. She squeezed it hard as she panted.

"OWW! OW! OW! OWWW! Easy on the fingers."

Eugene almost tripped over as Cassandra let go of his hand and pulled on his shirt collar till his face was only inches from hers.

"Shut up before I shut you up." She growled.

Eugene felt the midwifes calm presence beside him, she was prising Cassandra's fingers away from him with a happy hum. "This is a good sign, women often go through a period of unreasonableness or confusion just before their body gets ready to push, it's called transition."

"Nope, she's always like this." Eugene gasped rubbing at his throat.

"Come on dear, let's find you a comfortable position on the bed." The midwife said leading her away.

"I'm not doing this. "Cassandra said. "I want to go find Varian."

"Oh, it's quite alright dear, I've heard it all before. You'd be surprised how many of my girls have decided it's not the day to have a baby right in the middle of having one. Surprisingly, none of them have won that argument with nature yet."

"I want Varian." Cassandra sobbed.

"Oh, I know dear, but maybe it's best he's not here hey? I heard he's a fainter. Now, do you want to lay down? Or maybe get onto all fours, just do whatever feel best for you right now dear."

"No." She grunted.

"Now, now, come on my dear. What's going on? You need to stop fighting your body, you're making this harder on yourself. What's happening is natural, and it's going to happen in the way it's going to happen, you just have to let it."

"No." Cassandra grunted again as she curled up on the bed.

"Right." The midwife said thoughtfully looking between Cassandra and Eugene. "I'm going to go get a drink does anybody want anything?"

"Whiskey." Cassandra answered.

"Afraid not my dear."

"Can I have a whiskey?" Eugene asked.

"When the baby is born." The midwife said heading for the door. Eugene suddenly realised that she intended on leaving him alone with a very much about to have a baby, sometimes homicidal woman.

"Wait! Wait, you're leaving me with her?" He said in a loud whisper as he rushed to the door to try and stop her.

"Yes."

"But..."

"She's getting distressed, it's not good. It might get the baby distressed and cause problems."

"Even more of a reason not to leave me alone with her."

"She needs to talk, and I don't think she will with me around."

"Talk?"

"Something is holding her back."

"Yeah, she wants Varian. I am not Varian, so I don't know how I'm supposed to help."

"There's more to it than that."

"Well what am I supposed to do?"

"Listen to her."

"Listen? Look lady, Cassandra is not the opening up type."

"You're her friend aren't you?"

"Well it's complicated she kinda hates me, but I suppose you could call us friends, in a she hasn't actually killed me yet kind of a way."

"Then figure out what she needs. I'll be back in ten minutes. The baby won't be born in ten minutes. Probably."

"No.. no please, AHH!" Eugene watched the door closing with the midwife on the other side and took a deep breath. Make Cassandra open up, so she'd stop fighting and start pushing. This might just be the biggest challenge he'd ever faced.

"Okay, I've got this."